Circuit controller



March 24, 1953 A, P, RYP1NSK| 2,632,827

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER Filed Jan. 27, 1948 MA @we 77o Bg I Gttomeg Patented Mar. 24, Y 1953 CIRCUIT CONTROLLER Albert B. Rypinski, Laurelton, N. Y., assignor to Metropolitan Device Corporation, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January Z7, 1948, Serial N o. 4,571

(Cl. G-147) 3 Claims.

The invention herein disclosed relates to a de vice for making and breaking an electric circuit, such, for example, as a switch or circuit breaker. More particularly, the invention relates to an arrangement in such a device for minimizing the efects oi arcs formed on breaking a circuit.

Although of general utility in circuit making and breaking devices, the arrangement of this invention is particularly useful in devices that break a circuit carrying a heavy current and in which an arc is formed between the contacts. such, for example, as circuit breakers. An object of the invention is to provide a construction in which the iiame and molten metal resulting from an arc is coniined within a relatively small space within a circuit breaker or switch. Another object of the invention is to provide an arrangement such as tends to minimize burning away of the contacts under very high current densities. A further object of the invention is to reduce the tendency of switch or circuit breaker contacts to Weld together. Anothei` object of the invention is to provide an arrangement in a switch or circuit breaker with which materials that are not necessarily proof against electric arcs and high temperature gases may be used for housing the operating mechanism and for the operating mechanism.

The foregoing objects and certain advantages I that will hereinafter appear are realized in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing and described in detail below, from which description a clearer understanding of the invention may be had.

The drawings include:

Fig. l which is an isometric View of the relatively movable contacts of a circuit making and breaking device arranged in conjunction with an arc-quenching construction embodying the invention; and

Fig. 2 which is a like view of the arc-quenching housing from a diiierent angle.

As the construction of this invention is generally useful in circuit making and breaking devices, such, for example, as switches and circuit breakers, only the contacts, which form a part of the arrangement have been illustrated. These contacts include a stationary contact l and a movable contact 2. The latter Contact is pivotally mounted between the arms of a biiurcated bracket 3. A lever 4 pivoted at one end to the contact 2 may be utilized for moving the contact from engagement with the contact l, circuit making position, to a position away from the contact i, circuit breaking position. The contact 2 may be moved to circuit breaking position manually as in the case of an ordinary switch or automatically in the case of a circuit breaker.

When contacts, such as the contacts l and 2 are separated to open a circuit carrying a heavy cur rent, an arc is formed between the contacts. For the purpose of minimizing the eiiects of arcs thus formed, there is provided, in accordance with this invention, an arc-quenching housing denoted generally by the numeral 5, about the contacts. This housing is made of magnetic metal, such for example, as steel, and it is elongated and converges away from the meeting point of the contacts and in the direction of the expansion of an arc formed between the separated contacts.

The particular housing illustrated consists of a steel structure partially enclosing the contacts I and 2. The housing consists of side walls 6, a top l, a front Wall 8 and a rear wall 9. The wall 8 is shortened to provide the necessary clearance for movement of the contact 2 between open and closed circuit positions. The side walls 6 may or may not be insulated from the stationary contact l, but, preferably, they are. Vent slots I0 are provided through the walls 9 near the top 'l. The iront wall 8 converges toward the rear Wall 9 so that the housing is elongated and converges away from the separation point of the contacts, the convergence being toward the vent openings When an arc is formed on the separation of the contacts, the magnetic action of the housing 5 causes the are to travel into the enclosure where the proximity of the cool metal of the housing helps to lower the temperature of the flaming, metal-laden gas and causes the metal burned from the contacts to be deposited on the side walls. The gas is vented, through the vent openings or slots IU, with relatively little ame or molten metal. The housing serves to confine the flame and molten metal to a relatively small space within a circuit breaker or switch. With the housing, the rest of the switch or circuit breaker may be constructed from materials that are not necessarily proof against electrical arcs and high temperatures. Experience with the enclosure shows that it tends to minimize burning away of the contacts under extremely high current densities. It also reduces the tendency of contacts to weld.

The convergence of the housing toward the vent slots assists in causing the flying particles of molten metal to impinge on the Walls of the enclosure. Since they travel at high velocity they tend to flatten and attach themselves to the surface =of the walls of the housing and remain there. Without the housing, these ying particles form spherical beads which travel through the circuit breaker or switch enclosure and deposit on the mechanism. This results in mechanical failures by blocking the operating parts.

From the foregoing description of the arrangement disclosed in the drawing, vit will be apparent to those skilled in the art that by this invention there is provided a construction for circuit making and breaking devices, such as switches and circuit breakers, that is 'comparatively Vinexpensive, that confines the iiame and molten metal resulting from an arc to a comparatively small space, that tends to minimize the burning away and Welding of the contacts under high current densities; and that permits the use of materials for the enclosure and operating mechanism which are not necessarily proof against the effects of electric arcs and high temperature gases.

It will be obvious that various changes may -be made by those skilled in the art in the details of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing and described above within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims,

I claim:

1. In a device for making and breaking Yan a electric circuit, the combination comprising relatively movable contacts, movable together to complete a circuit and away vfrom each other to break the circuit and an arc-quenching housing consisting of magnetic metal having four side walls and an end wall confining the contacts both in the contacting and separated positions, the said housing being arranged to confine the ilame and molten metal resulting from an arc formed on the separation `of the contacts and the walls of the housing being arranged with respect to the contacts to prevent the transfer of an arc to the housing.

2. In a device for making and breaking an electric circuit, the combination comprising relatively movable contacts, movable together to complete a circuit and away from each other to break the circuit and an arc-quenching housing consisting of magnetic metal having four side walls and an end wall confining the contacts both in the contacting and separated positions, the

housing being arranged to confine the flame and molten metal resulting from an arc formed on the separation of the contacts, the housing being elongated away from the separation point of the contacts and in the direction of expansion of an arc formed between the contacts, having a vent opening through one wall thereof spaced from the separation point of the contacts, and the walls of the housing being arranged with respect to the contacts to prevent the transfer of an arc to the housing.

3. In a device for making and breaking an velectric circuit, the combination comprising relatively movable contacts, movable together to complete a circuit and away from each other to break the circuit and an arc-quenching housing consisting of magnetic metal having four side walls and an end wall confining the contacts both in the contacting and separated positions the housing being arranged to conne the flame and molten metal resulting from fan arc formed on the separation of the contacts, the housing being elongated and having two opposite walls converging away from the separation point of the contacts and in the direction `of expansion of an arc formed between the contacts and vent openings through a wall thereof spaced from the separation point of the contacts, and the walls of the housing being arranged with respect to the contacts to prevent the transfer of an arc to the housing.

ALBERT B. RYPINSKI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 463,762 Thomson Nov. 24, 1891 1,914,129 Jennings June 13, 1933 2,101,783 Leyhausen Dec. 7, 1937 2,133,158 Ver Planck et a-l. Oct. 11, 1938 2,147,430 Ellis et al. Feb. 14, 1939 2,159,645 Adam et al. May 23, 1939 2,160,681 Sandin May 30, 1939 2,292,177 Taylor Aug. 4, 1942 2,411,893 Peters Dec. 3, 1946 2,450,268 Bazley Sept. 28, 1948 2,524,287 Ellis Oct. 3, 1950 

